The city of Santos and the expansion of Brazilian public health services in homeopathy

Abstract

In consonance with the principles of comprehensiveness, equity, and universality that underlie Brazil's sanitary reform and creation of its Unified Health System, some municipalities have begun offering homeopathy as a treatment option. The article explores the context in which homeopathic treatment was introduced and gained ground in the city of Santos, São Paulo, down through its incorporation as an alternative in the public healthcare network. Homeopathy was introduced in Santos not only by doctors and pharmacists but also by prescribing mediums from spiritist centers. The request that the municipality's primary-care services offer this alternative was possible thanks to the presence of all these players. The present analysis was based on interviews with the professionals who took part in the process, on technical reports, newspaper articles, and scientific journals, and on a book about the city's first spiritist society.